Of Traitor Blood
by Blazing Blizzardstorm
Summary: Young Rosepaw stays awake the night a blizzard strikes. The medicine cat apprentice is stressed a queen will kit that night. She knows that she is right when a pained yowl from the nursery. Only three know of the kits' father, but when one cat finds out, the cat is out for a fight with the mother. The cat taunts the mother of the kits' father. Rosepaw is helpless, but to just sit.


**Here's a one-shot based off of future works. I'm doing it to help get my ideas together before I finish _The Smallest of the Pack. _It is about my OC Blizzardkit. The story will either be called _Falling Snow_, _Shattering Ice, _****_A Frigid Path,_or _Frozen Pathways._**

**Here it is:**

_Of Traitor Blood_

Flakes of soft ice fell from the dark and stormy night sky. The chilling gales swirled the snow in the wind preventing the powder from touching the frozen earthy ground. No signs of life stirred in the camp surrounded by the river. The storm of ice began earlier that evening abruptly. Much preparation was taken before the frozen blight would dominant the area. It was hard to imagine that this once lively place had become so peaceful, yet so eerily quiet.

A young white she-cat sat in her nest. She gazed outside of her hardy reed den. A rather large black and white tom, whose pelt looked like the night outside, snored gently. His muscles rippled beneath his pelt as he took steady breaths in and out. The she-cat puffed out her snowy fur to keep warm, but even her long pelt did not help her keep warmer than most cats.

The cold night had kept her up because she was anxious. One of the queens could possibly give birth during this wretchedly frosty gale and snow. It hold only been a two moons that she had given up the "kit" part of her name to replace it with "paw," but she had never contributed in helping a queen give birth to new bundles of life. This would be the closest to her having her offspring. Her duties and the code prevented her from such thing.

A soft sheet of white covered the frozen much about couple minnow-lengths high. Most cats had decided to sleep all together in the warrior's den to keep warm. The apprentices moved themselves into the warrior's den, but only to have nests closest to the elements. The medicine cats were told that they should stay in the den if any cat needed them. The leader, Foxstar, had decided to move him, his mate, and their kits into the leader's reed den. The rest of the queens and the elders decided to sleep together in the nursery. The kits and expecting queens in the center so that they would remain the warmest.

Yet, there was one problem. One of the expecting queens, Birchfang, would give birth soon. It would be hard not to wake the whole nursery because of Birchfang's yowl of pain. The snowy she-cat's mentor said the silver tabby queen should give birth within a quarter moon, but she doubted her mentor. The silver queen's belly was very large and swollen, promising of new kits soon. The icy apprentice also had this feeling deep down that the storm was a sign from StarClan. It promised of strong kits who would lead their Clan- or bring them to their downfall.

She gulped. No cat knew of the father of Birchfang's kits. The apprentice did respect the queen's decision not to tell the Clan. It was Birchfang's right not to reveal information that she did not want to. No tom had admitted to being the father in the Clan. Cats like her mentor, Heronthorn, suspected the tom as being of FalconClan, kittypet origin, or loner descent. Three cats knew in the clan. They consisted of Foxstar, Birchfang, and Dappleface. That was all the apprentice knew.

The apprentice could barely make out an earsplitting yowl of distress from the roaring gales. _Birchfang! _was the only thought that crossed her mind. She quickly tackled her mentor.

He let out a groan and grumbled, "What is it, Rosepaw?"

"Birchfang is kitting, you fat lump! We need to go!" she hissed with a great hint of urgency.

He immediately got up and grabbed a leaf wrap from the back of the den. The tom bolted out of the den into the foul weather. She trailed behind him nervously. She could not help but imagine how much pain the kitting queen was in. Sandstream, a permanent queen of the Clan, had said that when she had kitted for the first time it felt like she was being torn apart by a family of foxes.

The mentor and apprentice tried to pace efficiently through the snow, but it became a heavy trudge. Rosepaw shivered from with blowing, chilly winds. They finally made to the nursery. It had seemed the elders and kits had moved to the warrior's den to give the birthing queen space. The queens which consisted of Sandstream and Fawnfur aided the silver tabby. The stressed tabby let out shrieks of pain and was panting very heavily when she was not screaming.

Rosepaw took a deep breath in and her and Heronthorn began to get to work.

* * *

Rosepaw blinked sympathetically at the queen. For all the effort and blood that Birchfang had lost, one of three kits had not made it. The other queens told her that her kit would be named in StarClan for her, but the stubborn she-cat persisted that all kits deserve a name from their _own _mother, not their _foster _mother. She had given birth to a silver and white tabby tom that had died moments after birth. She named him Frostkit for her sister.

Rosepaw was also happy that at least the other kits had lived. She glanced down to see the pure white tom sleeping soundly at his mother's soft belly fur. He had been named Icekit. As much she liked the name, it sent a shiver up her spine. It brought back memories of the aggressive tom, Icestorm, that was exiled nearly two moons ago. Rosepaw just assumed that Birchfang had named the kits' names for the bad weather that night.

She looked at the queen's belly to see the she-kit suckling fiercely. Regardless of being the runt, the she-kit was a little fighter. Rosepaw thought that she was born as a stillborn, but she let out a strong mewl when she had furiously licked her to help her breathe. Birchfang named the her Blizzardkit for her strength and the fact that there was a blizzard that night. Rosepaw gazed at the kit's pelt. Blizzardkit's pelt was oddly familiar. Her mottled white and silver pelt looked identical to Icestorm's. She shivered at the thought of these kits having a traitor for a father.

Icestorm had been exiled for causing much trouble in the Clans. He wanted to be deputy and would do anything for it. He almost caused a rebellion among the Clan, but he had a different plan. On a frigid leaf-fall night, he had taken Shellwhisker, the deputy then, and killed him. As apprentices then, Stormblaze and Fawnfur had witnessed the brutal murder and ran back to camp to report it to Foxstar. Before his banishment, Oakstrike was then assigned deputy right in front of his cold blue eyes to show that he would not have been deputy next.

While his exile was announced, Birchfang seemed very shocked and sad. Most cats told her that he was a good for nothing fox-heart. That never made her happy. Suddenly, Rosepaw realized that Birchfang was expecting kits at the time of Icestorm's banishment. No one had noticed yet. It took the whole Clan another half moon to notice the young she-cat had been expecting. Of all kits to be expecting, they were Icestorm's.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Heronthorn spat, "they're _his _kits, aren't they?"

The drowsy queen growled, "_whose _kits do you mean? All I see are _my _kits!"

Rosepaw, Fawnfur, and Sandstream stood awkwardly there as the tension had risen in the room. _This can't be good! It's not healthy for Birchfang or her kits for Birchfang to fight with Heronthorn because of her condition!_

"You know which certain tom that fathered these kits," Heronthorn hissed. "They're of traitor blood!"

Birchfang immediately unsheathed her glistening white claws. Her fur fluffed up despite to her kits' protesting mewls. She was like an adder ready to strike. She snarled, "I'm raising these kits, _he's not. _If you have a problem with _my _kits, then you've picked the wrong queen to mess with!"

"They'll become traitors like him. The she-kit already has his fur. I wouldn't be surprised if she had his menacing blue gaze! Accept StarClan's fate for these kits because they're doomed!" He scoffed.

It been clear that Birchfang was done with Heronthorn's comments. Her kits protested when she got up shakily to her paws. She still so weak from kitting, but the fiery rage inside the new mother had given her strength.

This was not good for the kits. As Birchfang stepped away from the kits, Fawnfur laid immediately down with the kits to keep them warm. Blizzardkit's and Snowkit's protests died as they began to suckle again. Rosepaw wanted to stop the kit, but she was scared. She could smell Sandstream's and Fawnfur's fear scent emanating off of them. Rosepaw never knew her mentor could be as cold as the weather that night.

"Heronthorn, you're wrong. Icestorm means nothing to me anymore. Yes, I loved him once and the relationship was hidden. He used to be a good tom until his ambition had overtaken him. All of you only know him as a traitor and now me and my kits apparently are! I don't deserve this, but mostly the kits never should!" Birchfang hissed.

The black and white tom replied coldly back, "yes, you and the kits are traitors. His blood pumps through their body. The stillborn was lucky because he would never become a trait-"

Birchfang interrupted him by swiping him across his muzzle. Blood sprayed out onto the nursery floor. Rosepaw saw that some of Heronthorn's blood was on the queen's once white paws. Birchfang's face had a couple flecks of blood. She seemed satisfied at what she had done as she licked the blood from her paws.

That was Birchfang's mistake. Heronthorn was enraged by her performance. As she cleaned her tainted white paws, Heronthorn yowled and bowled her over. Her pinned her quickly. Birchfang tried hard to wiggle out of his pin, but he held her tightly to the nursery floor.

The tom narrowed his chilling amber eyes as he met her panicked leafy green gaze. "You're the most ill-tempered queen that I've ever met! These kits will never learn to be good warriors! It'd be better if you died while you kitted!"

Rosepaw felt frozen. She sat by Fawnfur who had her bushy, brown tail protectively over the kits as the events played on in front of their eyes. _Why did Heronthorn have to pick a fight? _Rosepaw questioned herself silently. _Did Icestorm do something to him?_ She looked around the nursery to see Sandstream had left.

After several moments of silence, Heronthorn and Birchfang met each other's gazes, one the liquid honey and the other was the color of the newleaf forest. Birchfang tried hard to wriggle free. Heronthorn seemed like he was going to go for a killing blow.

"You wouldn't kill me before my kits and _your apprentice, _right?" she mewed shakily.

The tom remained silent and opened his jaws ready to bring death. Rosepaw could not take this anymore.

"Stop!" was the words that slipped from her mouth.

She leapt and tackled the large tom with the little fighting knowledge that she had. Adrenaline pumped through her blood. She batted her paws at him with claws sheathed. Rosepaw then jumped off him. Birchfang shot the white medicine cat apprentice a grateful look.

Heronthorn had gotten up and seemed to be boiling with rage. Rosepaw shrugged her shoulders and sat back down as she watched Birchfang settle back down with her kits. Little did she know that he was not done. The tom struck her with an unsheathed paw along the side of her face.

Rosepaw let out a screech. Fawnfur and Birchfang sat there still.

"Heronthorn, that's enough. You've even hurt your own apprentice. You're just as bad as _Icestorm." _Fawnfur mewed quietly, but just enough for the medicine cat to hear.

Three other cats entered the nursery consisting of Foxstar, Sandstream, and Oakstrike, the deputy.

"What's going on here?" the broad-shouldered dark ginger leader questioned. He glared at all of them, particularly Heronthorn and Birchfang.

Fawnfur replied, " Birchfang gave birth to three kits, but one died. The tom's name is Icekit. The she-kit's name is Blizzardkit."

Foxstar nodded simply, but his green gaze was attached to the wounds on Heronthorn's muzzle and Rosepaw's head.

"So how do you explain these wounds?" asked the dark brown deputy.

Heronthorn shifted his paws awkwardly and stared at his paws. Birchfang remained silent and laid her head to her paws. The silver tabby's ears were lowered to her head.

Rosepaw decided to speak. "Heronthorn figured out the father of the kits and was quite rude to Birchfang after her kitting. He said that all of the kits would be traitors. He pushed Birchfang into a fight," she paused. "He almost killed her if I had not taken him off her."

Rosepaw ended the story. She shot Heronthorn a glance. His gaze burned into her pelt. It was full of a new emotion. Hatred. Rosepaw did not anyone that hated her, but she had made an enemy. Unfortunately, it was her mentor.

Foxstar spoke, "Heronthorn, you know better than this. I know who the father is of course. I understand your pain. Icestorm killed your brother and my deputy, Shellwhisker, but this is no excuse to act like a kit. I want you and Birchfang to stay away from each other. Rosepaw will look after all of the queens because I want you away from the nursery. You must stay a two fox-lengths away from it at all times. If you do anything as hurt Birchfang or one of her kits, you will face consequences."

Birchfang seemed happy with what happened, but she tried to hide it. Oakstrike mewed, "Birchfang, you must stay away from him. We don't want anymore fights, do we? Is that clear both of you?"

Heronthorn grumbled and gave a yes while shooting a disgusted look to Birchfang. The new mother just nodded.

Foxstar and Oakstrike exited the den with Heronthorn following. Rosepaw decide to stay to help Birchfang, Fawnfur, Sandstream, and the kits stay warm. She licked her wound and hope it would not get infected.

All queens curled up around Birchfang and the newborns. While she laid down, all of the night's events replayed in her head. She worried deeply for the kits and Birchfang. She worried for Sandstream who got Oakstrike and Heronthorn. She even worried for herself for standing up to her mentor. She had heard from Reedtooth, one of the elders, that Heronthorn could hold grudges until he joined the starry ranks of Silverpelt.

Despite all of the thoughts whirling around in her head, Rosepaw finally fell asleep the night of the great blizzard.

**The end.**

**What did you think? This is my first time writing something over 2,000 words! Please review! I'm going to post this story once I get farther in my other story, _The Smallest of the Pack. _Should I continue with this?**


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